While Coronado Springs Resort in Walt Disney World has a lot of charm and many fans (myself included!), it’s a little slim on meal options.
See, the resort’s table-service restaurant, Maya Grill, is only open for dinner these days; and the counter-service Pepper Market has gone buffet for breakfast and lunch, and closes from 2 p.m. until dinner. So sometimes it’s hard to find a bite to eat outside of Siesta’s Pool Bar. And while pool bars are charming, that might not be quite the vibe you’re seeking.
Enter Cafe Rix.
This is the only grab and go option for you at Coronado Springs. But does it offer what busy families and convention-goers really need to fuel up for a day at Disney? Let’s take a peek inside!
Decorated in a Mediterranean style, the cafe offers a little something for everyone.
Fresh fruit, wine, and newspapers are available, in addition to prepared cold items. I’m also totally digging on those lantern-like, Mexican light fixtures! That’s one of the things I love about Coronado Springs; it really is a charmingly beautiful resort.
Banks of refrigerated cases hold a selection of sandwiches, wraps, salads, and bottled beverages. Do you see your favorite here?
Nearby, you’ll find the resort’s refillable mugs for sale.
Located adjacent to the cold cases are other refrigerators that are well stocked with a selection of bottled beverages, including beer and wine. Right next to cases, guests can fill up their mugs at the beverage station.
There is a small selection of pastries, ranging from fruit tarts and crème brûlée to cheesecake and other seasonal cakes. I don’t know about you, but I’m preeeetty sure I need to find out what that whole Oreo business is down there in the lower right hand corner.
But don’t forget to save room for gelato (the most Mexican of treats, of course??!??!)! With TWELVE different varieties, this is an awesome place to grab a cold and refreshing cup!
While selection is a little slim, Cafe Rix does offer some options if you’re starving and find yourself in need of a meal (or beverage) before the Pepper Market opens for its counter service dinner. Plus, it’s a great spot to grab some breakfast before heading out to the bus stop for a day at the parks!
Have you visited Cafe Rix for a bite to eat? Let us know your thoughts!
Terri says
I was so excited to see this as me and my family will be at the Coronado Springs resort for our first WDW trip in September and so I love to see all that there is on the resort that we are staying at. If anyone can tell me if there are bakery goods for sale for quick breakfasts and if they are considered “snack” on the dining plan? Thanks so much for this post and all the other ones about the yummy foods at Disney World!
Sandy - winnieatepooh says
Thank you for the review, AJ! I am staying at CSR for the first time in September and it’s nice to see some photos of Cafe Rix – I will definitely be stopping by for some gelato, or that oreo cake! Yum!
WDWPRINCE says
Thanks for the review. I stayed at Coronado for the first time last Sept. I ate at Rix and Maya Grill for breakfast and two dinners. When did Maya Grill stop serving breakfast? I had very good steak and eggs. I’m booked for this October and will miss having a proper breakfast there.
Mark says
Coronado Springs was our family’s go to resort, but our sense that the food options were declining is one of the reasons we’re going to stay elsewhere for our trip this fall. Cafe Rix is nothing special, I’m afraid, and though Pepper Market’s concept had lots of potential, the quality really seems to have fallen off.
Alan says
Reading AJ’s mention of cutting back on service hours and Mark’s impressions above, I find this a bit disappointing. We’ve been on a great upswing in the food and beverage improvements and additions lately and you hate to see anything go backward. I’ve always felt this resort was a bit upscale in the food area with Maya, Pepper’s and Rix’s Lounge. If you are staying there and are hungry at the wrong time, it might be a downer having to get something at Cate Rix.
Karen says
I didn’t realize that Maya Grill was now dinner only and the Pepper Market was closed for part of the day. That is a huge bummer at such a large resort. We stayed at Coronado once and though the resort itself was lovely, we were not thrilled with the food options. Cafe Rix did provide a pretty sufficient quick service breakfast on a couple of our mornings. The setup can make it a bit congested at busy times but overall we liked it.
NT3 says
Unless something has changed since April, there is also a few hot “counter service” style items too. When I was there I had a personal pizza and I think there was also a couple paninis and maybe a burger or two available.
That having been said, the service was SLOW (no way, no how could this place handle a mass throng of convention goers) and quality average for Disney CS at best.
Laura says
We stayed at CSR in 2011, and will be returning in September. I was not really impressed with Cafe Rix during our last stay. The selection is limitted and the service was polite but slow. I do agree with AJ that the architecture at this resort is charming.
During our last trip, the gelato could be redeemed with a snack credit (and is very tasty.) Pretty sure the pastries were redeemable for a snack credit as well.